Flawless Rose sitting pretty

Justin Rose had America’s Charles Howell on the ropes halfway through their third round clash at the Accenture Match Play Championship on today.

The Englishman played a flawless front nine to charge to a five hole lead over struggling American Howell after nine holes in the World Golf Championships event at Dove Mountain, Arizona.

After perfect weather for the first two days, conditions turned cold and windy for the third round, and birdies were hard to come by on the first few holes, which played into the teeth of the wind.

Rose, surprise conqueror of fourth seed Phil Mickelson yesterday, did not make his first birdie until the par three eighth by which stage he was already three up.

He then rolled in a 25 foot birdie at the par four ninth to make Howell’s job even tougher

Howell came into the event perhaps the second hottest player in game and top of the US PGA Tour money list after winning the Nissan Open on Sunday.

England’s Paul Casey was also sitting pretty, two up after seven holes against American Shaun Micheel, the man he hammered in the final of the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth last September.

It wasn’t all good news for the British contingent with Ian Poulter two down after eight holes against South African Trevor Immelman.

Top seed Tiger Woods was struggling against Australian Nick O’Hern, two down after five holes.

O’Hern didn’t exactly set the world on fire with two birdies and two bogeys, but Woods really struggled, making a bogey and a double bogey.

Two years ago, O’Hern beat Woods in the second round. Woods is seeking his eighth consecutive win in a U.S. PGA Tour-sanctioned event.